A Mother Allegedly Taunted Her Son Into Killing His Girlfriend According to Shocking Court Testimony

A Michigan court has heard chilling testimony alleging that a mother urged her son to kill his teenage ex-girlfriend, whose body was later found hidden in the trunk of a car weeks after she was reported missing.

The case centres on the death of 17-year-old London Thomas, who disappeared in early April and was discovered dead on April 26 inside a sealed plastic bin placed in an SUV in Southfield, Michigan.

Prosecutors allege that Thomas was killed after being dropped off at the home of her former boyfriend, Jalen Pendergrass, in Inkster at around 4.00 a.m. on April 5. What initially appeared to be a missing person investigation has since escalated into a high-profile homicide case involving claims of family complicity, disturbing witness testimony and upgraded murder charges.

Last week, following a preliminary hearing, a judge ordered charges against both Jalen Pendergrass and his mother, Charla Pendergrass, to be upgraded from second-degree to first-degree murder, after a witness told the court that the killing was allegedly encouraged by the accused mother.

Court Hears Alleged Confession and Disturbing Details

The charge upgrade followed testimony from Lanyja Wilkerson, another former girlfriend of Jalen Pendergrass, who told the court that he confided in her about Thomas' death. According to WXYZ, Wilkerson claimed that Charla Pendergrass allegedly demanded that her son 'get angry' and 'kill' Thomas.

Wilkerson further testified that Pendergrass sent her song lyrics describing a woman's body being found in the trunk of a car, which prosecutors argued echoed the circumstances of Thomas' death. The testimony was described as a key factor in the judge's decision to allow prosecutors to pursue first-degree murder charges, which require proof of premeditation.

Both mother and son were initially charged with second-degree murder and tampering with evidence. Online court records from the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office now show that Charla Pendergrass faces first-degree murder, felony murder, unlawful imprisonment and evidence tampering charges. As of Tuesday, Jalen Pendergrass' records had not yet reflected the upgraded charge.

Timeline of Disappearance and Discovery

London Thomas was reported missing by her sister on April 5 after she failed to return home. Her mother later filed a missing person report with Detroit police when Thomas did not return to her residence on Albert Street. Authorities say she was not seen alive after arriving at Jalen Pendergrass' home earlier that morning.

An extensive investigation involving the Inkster Police Department, Detroit Police Department, the FBI and Michigan State Police followed. On April 7, a male friend of Charla Pendergrass allegedly told investigators that she had asked him to transport a sealed plastic bin with unknown contents. He claimed he placed the bin in the trunk of an SUV on April 11.

On April 26, acting on information provided by the same individual, police searched the vehicle on Millard Street in Southfield. Inside the bin, they discovered Thomas' body. An autopsy later determined that she died from asphyxia and ruled her death a homicide.

Charges, Bond and Prosecutor's Statement

Both defendants are currently in custody. Charla Pendergrass was granted a $5.00 million (£3.95 million) cash bond, while her son was remanded to jail. Prosecutors have said the evidence indicates that both defendants were directly involved in the killing.

Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy praised the multi-agency investigation, saying: 'It has taken countless hours of investigation and diligent work by law enforcement. As a result, we have been able to charge and bring the perpetrators of this cruel and deadly crime to justice.'

The case is expected to return to court later this year, when prosecutors say they will present extensive evidence detailing the events leading up to Thomas' death.